Introduced into the New Zealand market in 1999, No. 1 Cuvee was the first wine to be produced by proprietors Adele and Daniel Le Brun at their family owned winery, established in 1997. Today the No. 1 Family Estate has an established vineyard and winery on Marlborough’s Golden Mile, Rapaura Rd, near Blenheim, crushing more than 30 tonnes annually. The family are committed to producing only premium Methode Tradionelle wines and to follow winemaker, Daniel Le Brun’s long-held vision of Marlborough as the only rival to Champagne.

My Tasting Notes:

I had tasted the No. 1 Family Estate Cuvee along with five other non-vintage and three vintage sparkling wines from New Zealand. The Cuvee was my second choice or runner up sparkling wine. This is a first-class sparkling wine exhibiting great balance filled with pronounced citrus and mineral flavours and traditional champagne (bread yeast and citrus) aromas that extended to a mouth-pleasing and fulfilling finish. There is a refined elegance to this wine.

From the Winery:
Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle is a wine of distinction, made in the traditional method to achieve elegance and finesse. Focused, fresh and crisp with beautiful balance and length

My Tasting Notes:
I tasted the Quartz Reef Brut at a New Zealand Bubbly and Chardonnay promotion. These sparkling and Chardonnay wines were chosen by an astute panel of industry experts in New Zealand to help showcase the best of the best wines for each category.

The Brut was tasted with five other vintage and non-vintage sparkling wines. This is a balanced sparkling wine with baked-bread and apple aromas and apple and lime on the palate. There are enough bubbles that offer a creamy mouth feel and this Brut once again reminds me of quality French Champagne. The wine is good enough to drink on its own but best paired with a creamy, soft blue cheese on toasted baguette, west coast oysters on the half-shell and caviar. Drink now – 2020

Howard Park Wines is one of Western Australia’s leading boutique family owned wineries, responsible for brands Howard Park, MadFish and Marchand & Burch. They are also Western Australia’s largest boutique family-owned winery producing a range of handcrafted fine Australian wines from the state’s premier grape growing regions of Margaret River and the Great Southern.

I tasted three wines from Howard Park at an industry tasting promotion showcasing Australia’s First Families of Wine. I was not familiar with Howard Park prior to this event and I did not know what to expect before trying their wine. Needless to say I was very impressed and am now a huge fan. There is more information on Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW) available at the end of this review.

From the Winery:
‘Abercrombie’ is the definitive Cabernet Sauvignon of Howard Park Wines. Since the first release in 1986, a multi-region five-vineyard Western Australian blend, this wine has been a true reflection of the best fruit chosen from a selection of the oldest vineyards in Western Australia’s Margaret River region and cool climate Mount Barker and Porongurup sub-regions of the Great Southern. Produced from the top 1% of available Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and then only in the years when grapes of extraordinarily high quality are available.

Named after Jeff Burch’s Great-Grandfather Walter Abercrombie, this Howard Park flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is noted for its outstanding structural complexity and exceptional elegance. It combines the austere dusty earth and blackcurrant aromas from Mount Barker, with the classic rich fruit and chocolaty palette of Margaret River. Together they produce an elegantly balanced cabernet sauvignon with mature ripe tannins backed up by quality French oak. Careful long term cellaring will realize this wine’s full potential.

In Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine, the Abercrombie has an ‘Excellent’ rating, spanning back since Classification III in 2000.

Winemaking:
All grapes selected for Abercrombie are handpicked, destemmed and sorted before fermentation in a mix of small static fermenters and open stainless steel vats. The grapes are hand-plunged and pumped over as required to balance the extraction of colour, tannin and flavour. Each fermenter is basket-pressed to French oak barriques for 18 months of maturation to achieve thorough integration of oak and grape tannins. The wine is minimally fined then filtered prior to bottling.

My Tasting Notes:
The Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the top five wines tasted at the AFFW event. This Cabernet is old-world, Bordeaux-esque in its display of dark berry aromas with integrated ripe blackberry and currant fruit flavours with an herbaceous element in the finish. There is also a feeling of refinement, tannin structure and balance that also remind me of pricey left bank Bordeaux alternatives. This wine will reveal more layers of flavours and minerality, the benefits from additional time aging in the bottle. The winery suggests drinking the Abercrombie from 2017 and can be cellared for more than ten years.

Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW):
AFFW together represent seventeen wine-growing regions across Australia and forty-eight generations of winemakers. The inaugural twelve-member alliance includes Brown Brothers, Campbells, Taylors, DeBortoli, McWilliam’s, Tahbilk, Tyrell’s, Yalumba, D’Arenberg, Jim Barry, Howard Park, and Henschke. Howard Park Wines is the only representative from Western Australia to be included in AFFW.

The aim of Australia’s First Families of Wine is to showcase a representative and diverse range of the best of Australian wine with a focus on regional and iconic drops. The collective is working to engage and educate consumers, retailers, restaurants and the wine industry across the globe about the real character and personality of Australian wine, and about the unique characters and personalities behind it.

The Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon was tasted on May 28, 2015 in Vancouver, BC.

From the Winery:
Mission Estate was established by these Missionaries in Hawke’s Bay in 1851, where vines were planted to produce both sacramental and table wine and New Zealand’s first winery was born. The first record of a commercial sale dates back to 1870 when a parcel of mostly dry reds was sold.

Mission has never lost sight of its French heritage, as over the years Brothers of the Order have traveled to France to study and learn viticulture and winemaking skills. Our current winemaker Paul Mooney has been at Mission for over 30 years, and was originally trained by the Fathers. With over 160 years of winemaking tradition, we embrace both old world artistry passed down from the early winemaking pioneers, with leading edge technology. The result is an award-winning range of distinctly New Zealand wines.

Precision Viticulture allows us to optimize vineyard performance and our ongoing dedication to sustainable practices means Mission is one of the most energy efficient wineries in New Zealand..

My Tasting Notes:
I tasted the Mission Reserve Chardonnay at a New Zealand Bubbly and Chardonnay promotion. The wines for this event were chosen by an astute panel of industry experts in New Zealand to help showcase the best of the best wines for each category. There are two main islands that comprise New Zealand. The Mission Reserve Chardonnay was tasted with five other north island producers and five producers from the south island. There are quite contrasting styles from each region making this a potpourri and flavourfest for lovers of Chardonnay. The acidity levels for most of the wines from New Zealand run quite high.

This is a medium bodied, balanced wine that opens with lemon and lime aromas wrapped around a mineral, limestone core. I enjoyed the minerality, freshness and dry finish. This Chardonnay is elegant enough to drink on its own but you could pair this with oysters on the half-shell, creamy seafood pasta and SE Asian cuisine.

The Man O’ War story begins with a special piece of land which has a rich history. Located at the eastern end of Waiheke Island, Man O’ War is a stunning array of coastal hillsides with high cliffs and pristine beaches forming a ruggedly beautiful coastline.

It was along this coastline that Captain James Cook came to anchor during his first voyage around the islands of New Zealand in 1769. Upon sighting the ancient stands of magnificent Kauri trees ashore, Cook noted in his journals that they would make ideal masts for the Man O’ War battleships of the Royal Navy. Thus the name Man O’ War was bestowed upon this unique land.

With a desire to protect this treasured land’s natural beauty and sense of history for future generations, our family purchased the four contiguous farms that now form the 4,500 acres of Man O’ War in the early 1980s. And so began our adventure of exploring this land, along the way naming our ‘discoveries’ in honour of family history, naval legacy, and of this special place itself.

Our Blanc de Blanc is christened in our mother’s native tongue for her first granddaughter, Tulia, which in Finnish means a small and gentle breeze. Valhalla Chardonnay is named after the shining and golden hall in Norse mythology where the souls of fallen warriors feasted with the gods; Valhalla is also the name of the depot ship that supplied the Royal Navy Motor Launch our grandfather commanded during WWI. Exiled Pinot Gris is named in tribute to Napoleon’s final place of exile where he was banished after his defeat at Waterloo. While Gravestone Sauvignon Semillon alone takes its name from the fluted basalt boulders that solemnly surround the hilltops of Man O’ War.

Our Ironclad Cabernet Franc Merlot blend is labelled in honour of the 19th century warships characterized by the iron armour bolted onto their wooden hulls. Emulating the new class of “fast” battleship that was blessed with an intoxicating combination of elegance and power; Warspite. This is our Cabernet Franc Merlot Malbec blend from Ponui Island, which is designated for the graceful power of the Royal Navy’s “Grand Old Dame”.

Dreadnought Syrah is named after the first in a line of 20th century battleships which was bestowed with the motto “fear god and dread nought” and embodied a supreme combination of speed and power. Bellerophon Syrah Viognier is christened in honour of the heroic demi-god astride an immortal winged-horse; Bellerophon designates both a new class of Dreadnoughts, and the first blend of Syrah and Viognier from our volcanic hillside vineyards..

Precision Viticulture allows us to optimize vineyard performance and our ongoing dedication to sustainable practices means Mission is one of the most energy efficient wineries in New Zealand.

Over two hundred years after Cook first sighted Man O’ War we were convinced that world class wine could be grown here. We began planting our first vines in 1993. Today Man O’ War consists of 150 acres of vines planted in 76 individual hillside blocks, each with a distinct soil profile and microclimate.

Every single block bears the footprints, and sometimes the names, of those who transformed Man O’ War’s rugged hillsides into a spectacular patchwork of vines.

My Tasting Notes:
I tasted the Man O’ War Chardonnay at a New Zealand Bubbly and Chardonnay promotion. The wines for the event were chosen by an astute panel of industry experts in New Zealand to help showcase the best of the best wines for each category. There are two main islands that comprise New Zealand. The Chardonnay was tasted with five other north island producers and five producers from the south island. There are quite contrasting styles from each region making this a potpourri and flavourfest for lovers of Chardonnay. The acidity levels for most of the wines from New Zealand run quite high.

This Chardonnay stands out by its intense minerality in the nose. I found it a bit overwhelming at first but it dissipated as I intentionally warmed by glass with my hands. There was a nice weight and mouth-feel that started to show tropical fruit flavours, roasted nuts and toasted croutons. The high acidity became more pronounced as I warmed the glass, too. This Chardonnay is good enough to drink on its own but best paired with salmon, seafood pasta, charcuterie and smoked Gouda or creamy bleu cheese.

About the Winery:
From a one-man band to a global brand in just 50 years. In 1961, at just 21 years of age, Sir George Fistonich leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland and started off with just an acre of vines. He harvested his first grapes in 1962 and made his first wine under the name Villa Maria.

Throughout the 1960s Villa Maria was a one-man band, with George’s wife, Gail, supporting him in his venture. He made dry red and white wines, sourcing grapes from the greater Auckland regions. In the early 1970s he started to employ staff and the company began to expand rapidly. Today, Villa Maria employs more than 250 permanent staff and exports wine to over 50 countries worldwide.

Winemaker Comments:
Styled to capture the regional essence of Gisborne, the Barrique offers a complex medley of fresh stone fruit aromas with hints of tropical fruits and smoky grilled nut characters. The palate is seamlessly textured with a creamy mid-palate, leading to a finish extended by harmonious acidity. This wine is well-integrated and appealing for enjoyment on release, but will continue to develop further complexity with maturation

My Tasting Notes:
I tasted the Villa Maria Gisborne Reserve Chardonnay at a New Zealand Bubbly and Chardonnay media event. The wines for the event were chosen by a panel of industry experts in New Zealand to help showcase the best of the best wines for each category. There are two main islands that comprise New Zealand. The Chardonnay was tasted with five other north island producers and five producers from the south island. There are quite contrasting styles from each region making this a potpourri and flavourfest for lovers of Chardonnay. The acidity levels for most of the wines from New Zealand run quite high.

The Villa Maria greets you with light tropical fruit, honey dew and mineral aromas. My expectations may have been too high for this barrique fermented wine but I found the melon and fruit flavours on the lighter side. The wine tight-ropes a fine line, balancing the melon flavours, acidity and mineral finish. There was an even weighting and pleasant mouth-feel with a crisp, dry finish. This Chardonnay can be enjoyed on its own but I suggest pairing it with dungeness crab cooked Chinese style with ginger and garlic or Italian influenced white truffle, smoked pork belly mac and cheese.

TOI TOI WINESRESERVE CHARDONNAYWAIMAUKA, WEST AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALANDAbout the Winery:
A family run business, Toi Toi Wines, (pronounced Toy Toy), is inspired by NZ’s natural beauty and awe inspiring flora and fauna. The Toi Toi is our largest and most graceful native grass. There are four Toi Toi sub species which have naturally adapted to New Zealand’s diverse sub-regional climates, like our grape varieties.

This natural adaptability and majesty has provided inspiration for our winemaking philosophy:

To create quality, distinctive New Zealand wines by sourcing premium varietals from the regions in which they are most renowned. Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, Pinot Noir from Central Otago and Late Harvest Riesling from Waipara.

My Tasting Notes:
I tasted the Toi Toi Reserve Chardonnay at a New Zealand Bubbly and Chardonnay media event. The wines for the event were chosen by an astute panel of industry experts in New Zealand to help showcase the best of the best wines for each category. There are two main islands that comprise New Zealand. The Chardonnay was tasted with five other north island producers and five producers from the south island. There are quite contrasting styles from each region making this a potpourri and flavourfest for lovers of Chardonnay. The acidity levels for most of the wines from New Zealand run quite high.

This Chardonnay is similar to many of the north island Chardonnays by a distinct, wet stone, shale or slate minerality in the nose. The Toi Toi was one of the best of class at this tasting. You are also greeted with vibrant lemon/citrus zest and succulent Bosch pear aromas, wet stone (slate) and smoky oak in the aromas and on the palette. There was a nice, even weighting and a generously pleasing mouth-feel and a good, lengthy finish. This Chardonnay stands on its own but even better paired with roasted chicken, rabbit and/or Cobb Salad. I would have scored it higher if it was just a tad dryer.

This is the fifth and final review for wine from Alamos tasted at a luncheon with winemaker Felipe Stahlschmidt and brand ambassador Tatiana Nessier. All of these wines are available in Canada but not all are available in every province.

From Alamos:

The Alamos Seleccion Malbec is the pinnacle of our portfolio. Tucked under the massive shoulders of the Andes Mountains in west central Argentina, the province of Mendoza is renowned for housing some of the best winegrowing regions in the world. The character of Medoza wines is forged in the high altitude desert vineyards irrigated by mineral-rich snowmelt from glaciers and snowfields. Altitudes range from 1,000 feet to around 5,000 feet, where the foothills rise steeply toward the Andes’ peaks. High altitude means cool temperatures and clear air, and clear air means more sunlight for building flavour in the grapes, helping make Mendoza the source of Argentina’s well-earned reputation for top quality, unique wines.

Winemaking Notes:

The grapes were handpicked, destemmed and crushed prior to a three- to four-day cold soak. The grapes were fermented in upright and conical tanks for six to eight days at 85F/29.5C, and the remained in contact with the skins for up to 25 days to enhance the extraction of flavour and color. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged in combination of medium and medium plus toasted French and American oak for nine to 12 months before the final blend was assembled.

My Tasting Notes:

The wine is approachable from the start. A dark ruby red that opens with black and red berry aromas and with a touch of vanilla in the finish. Supple, with balanced and well-structured flavors of currant, dried cherry and pepper. There’s an elegant mid-palate creaminess to this wine’s vintage and finishes off with a spiced finish. Drink now to 2019.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Felipe and Tatiana. Listening to Felipe talk about his love for wine and the expressions the wine produced from Mendoza was fascinating and an experience I will always remember, very engaging indeed.

This is the fourth wine being reviewed in a series of five tasted at a luncheon with Alamos winemaker Felipe Stahlschmidt and brand ambassador Tatiana Nessier. All of these wines are available in Canada but not all are available in every province.

During our greetings and introductions, I poked fun at Felipe about a quote he makes on the Alamos website: “Malbec and Mendoza are a marriage made in heaven! Our beautiful high altitude climate produces Malbec that are rich, exuberant and full of character.” Having spent time tasting Malbec with Felipe and Tatiana it is easy to catch their enthusiasm and love they show for their wine. Yes indeed. High altitude produced Malbec wines from Mendoza are often a heavenly and heady combination.

From the winery:

A classically Argentine wine, our Alamos Malbec blends the deeply concentrated plum flavours of the country’s signature variety – Malbec – with small portions of Syrah and Bonarda to add dark cherry and blackberry flavours. Well-integrated hints of brown spice and vanilla contribute layers of complexity. A full structure, firm tannins and a long finish make this Malbec unforgettable.

Winemaking Notes:

The grapes four our Malbec were handpicked, destemmed and crushed. Prior to fermentation, the must was cold soaked for 72-hours. Fermentation occurred in upright and conical tanks for one week at 85F/29.5C. Throughout fermentation, this wine underwent malolactic fermentation to create a round mouthfeel before eight months of aging in a combination of French and American oak.

My Tasting Notes:

The wine is a dark ruby red and opens with a generous if not lush aromas of plum and cheery. It is followed with a swath of sweet black plum, currant and a touch of vanilla and spice on the palette. There is an elegant quality to this wine that is perfectly balanced. The Syrah (6%) and Bonarda (4%) components have brought on additional brightness and liveliness. This Malbec shows excellent quality for the price (QPR).

I had the pleasure of sitting down with winemaker Felipe Stahlschmidt and brand ambassador Tatiana Nessier for a private wine tasting session. Alamos currently has five wines available in Canada and this wine review is the third in the series.

Most of the wines crafted by Alamos come from the vineyards located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. These vineyards are not all at the same elevation but are situated between 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level. The combination of high altitude and arid dessert conditions help produce concentrated berries or “fruit” with fuller expressions in flavour. The soils comprised mainly of alluvial and silt make up important parts of the terroir add layers of depth and minerality to the wine.

The 2013 vintage began with a cooler growing season that led to wines with heightened bright acidity, lower sugar levels and intense aromatics. Cooler temperatures at harvest allowed the vineyards and winemakers hang their fruit a little longer than normal. With excellent acidity and tannin structure, wines from this vintage will offer consumers enjoy the wine now and for a few years longer than normal.

The Alamos 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a prime example of this good fortune. The fruit was hand-harvested, destemmed and crushed. The must was chilled and cold-soaked for three days prior to fermentation to extract as much colour, tannins and flavour possible. The wine was fermenting in upright and conical tanks at 85F and some as long as eight-days. Half the wine was aged in French and American oak prior to bottling.

This is a dark ruby, full-bodied, flavourful red that exhibited a full finish. The wine opens with cherries and plum aromas and a hint of peppers in the background. I found stewed plum and dried cherries on the pallet. The balance between French and American oak shows well here adding vanilla and spice with chewy but not too grippy tannins on the finish.

This is an outstanding grilled meat wine… I suggest trying it with a lean Buffalo bacon blue cheese burger and onion rings. This wine is meant to be enjoyed now and best before 2019.